Adventures in Womanhood

You should read…

My one month holiday left me with a lot of reading time – not that I have less reading time now (I’m two books into Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series). And during that time, I got the chance to read a couple books I’d been eyeing for some time.

In no particular order:

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I can actually remember seeing this book in a bookstore while I was in high school and thinking, I want to read this. It only took me five years. The Alchemist is amazingly insightful, and reassuringly intense. It plumbs the depths of the human soul, returning with priceless quotes and thought-provoking sentiments. If you haven’t, read it. If you have, read it again. I borrowed a copy from a friend and have no intention of returning it any time soon. It’s the kind of book that warms your heart just by having it on your shelves.

House of God by Samuel ShemExcept for her sunglasses, Berry is naked. The first line of this book is kind of a wake-up jolt that preludes the rest of its electric material. This book finds nothing sacrosanct about the principles and practice of medicine in a hospital affectionately called the House of God. It is bitterly cynical, harshly satirical and wearily resigned. Much like the average medical intern. I recommend it to anyone interested in a career of medicine who has a strong stomach for irreverence.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky
Yet another novel that I’d been interested in reading for years. Written as a series of letters from Charlie to ‘Friend’, it’s a moving coming-of-age chronicle that I wish someone had given to me in high school. I could have used Charlie’s insight when I was his age. But reading it as I am now, a bit older and wiser, I can still identify with the characters in the book. TPoBaW has a timeless appeal, and I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy it as much at 60 as I did last month.